1.
Outsiders by S.E. Hinton.
Realistic Fiction. 750L. 208 pp. $10.
Ponyboy can count on his brothers and his friends, but not on much else besides trouble with the
Socs, a vicious gang of rich kids who get away with everything, including beating up greasers like
Ponyboy. At least he knows what to expect--until the night someone takes things too far. Hinton's
classic story of a boy who finds himself on the outskirts of regular society remains as powerful today
as it was when it was written.
2. Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelson.
Adventure. 670L. 256 pp. $7.
Cole chooses Native American Circle Justice, banishment to a remote Alaskan island, over detention
after brutally attacking another teenager. Mauled by a mysterious white bear, Cole struggles to
survive and finds his soul.
3. Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson.
Biography/Poetry. 990L. 352 pp. $10.
Told in verse, Jacqueline Woodson tells the story of trying to find her place as an African American
girl growing up in the 1960s and 1970s in New York and North Carolina. Woodson learns to find her
voice as while navigating two rapidly changing worlds.
4. Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech.
Mystery. 770L. 288 pp. $7.
As Sal entertains her grandparents with an outrageous story about Phoebe, her own story begins to
unfold--the story of a 13-year-old girl whose only wish is to be reunited with her missing mother. In
her own award-winning style, Sharon Creech intricately weaves together two tales, one funny, one
bittersweet, to create a heartwarming, compelling, and utterly moving story of love, loss, and the
complexity of human emotion.
5. The Giver by Lois Lowry.
Fantasy. 770L. 192 pp. $7.
Jonas's world is perfect. Everything is under control. There is no war or fear of pain. There are no
choices. Every person is assigned a role in the community. When Jonas turns 12 he is singled out to
receive special training from The Giver. The Giver alone holds the memories of the true pain and
pleasure of life. Now, it is time for Jonas to receive the truth. There is no turning back.
6. A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park.
Historical Fiction. 720L. 108 pp. $7.
This book begins as two stories, told in alternating sections, about a girl in Sudan in 2008 and a boy in
Sudan in 1985. The girl, Nya, is fetching water from a pond that is two hours' walk from her home.
The boy, Salva, becomes one of the "lost boys" of Sudan, refugees who cover the African continent on
foot as they search for their families and for a safe place to stay. Salva is a survivor, and his story goes
on to intersect with Nya's in an astonishing and moving way.
7. Unbroken (YA Adaptation) by Lauren Hillenbrand.
Biography. 850L. 320pp. $12.08.
This riveting account tells the story of Louis Zamperini, a thief turned track star, Olympian,
airman, castaway, and prisoner of war. Born to Italian immigrants in 1917, Zamperini was heading
down a path of crime (stealing, fighting) until his older brother Pete stepped in, encouraging him
to join the track team. It wasn't long before Zamperini was winning every race, eventually going
on to the 1936 Berlin Olympics. The book details how the 1940 Olympics were canceled due to
World War II and describes how Zamperini was drafted into the U.S. Air Force and the trials he
faced.
8. To Catch a Cheat by Varian Johnson.
Adventure. 650L. 256pp. $12
Jackson Greene has officially retired from pulling cons. That is until he and his friends are accused
of flooding the school as a prank. But someone is blackmailing them, and promise to release a
video to the principal if Jackson doesn't steal a test. So, Jackson and his crew are forced back into
action. This time to clear their names.
Author Varian Johnson visited our school last year.